Masquerade
by vegetakitten
Summary: Stir is waiting for her dance partner. will she ever get to dance? King of bandit Jing fic.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: alas, I do not own Jing, Yuichi Kamakura does. (  
  
For the Precious who would like to think he would return.  
  
Summary: Set after the 13th episode (or the 5th book) Stir continues to wait for someone. Will he return?  
  
Masquerade  
  
By Vegetakitten  
  
"Masquerade! Paper faces on parade!  
  
Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you!  
  
Masquerade! Every face a different shade!  
  
Masquerade! Look around - there's another mask behind you!  
  
Masquerade! Burning glances! Turning heads ...  
  
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!  
  
Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds ...  
  
Masquerade! Take your fill - let the spectacle astound you!" --  
Masquerade, The Phantom of the Opera.  
  
"Mademoiselle Stir, Will you bestow me the honor of a waltz?" ...  
  
Stir looked at the young man kneeling before her for the third year in a row and considered his offer. It had been three years since the Bandit King had appeared to steal the Vintage Smile, a mask that was to be presented to the new heir of Zaza.  
  
Three years ago the annual masquerade was instead entitled the 'mas corrida' and was a battle in which the prize was a chance to be heir. There were never any winners. But then he came and everything changed. He stole the mask, but not the smile. That was safely on the face of the Madame, Stir's mother. It was the first time the Madame had been able to show emotion without the use of a mask.  
  
Now, the masquerade was once again a ball with beautiful gowns and dances. The Madame was happy and finally healed of her grief. The loss of a husband and young son so close to each other had been hard on her and had made her vengeful and blind. So much so that she hadn't realized that she was about to lose her daughter. Stir remembered how she had fought her way up towards the finals in the hopes that her mother would remember she existed. When the Madame saw that it was Stir fighting, Stir injured, she remembered.  
  
"Miss Stir? Are you well?"  
  
Her attention was jolted back to the present. Oh him. "Yes...I am quite well." She answered slowly.  
  
The King of Bandits, Jing, had attracted his attention almost immediately. He had bested one of the best fighters in the city without breaking a sweat and sustaining only a minor injury. She had been impressed, but against her will. It was partly because of him that she fought. She was afraid he would win. And yet...perhaps a small part of her had wanted him to. Just a little. Maybe.  
  
"Mademoiselle?"  
  
Oh. "Forgive me, but I still must decline your offer. I am still waiting for someone. And I will dance my first dance with him alone."  
  
She smiled, hoping to smooth things over. The young man was persistent. Every year he asks and every year she refuses. Stir was beginning to feel a little guilty. Maybe she should let this year be the last year she waits.  
  
She looked out at the dancers enjoying themselves and smiled. The dress she wore was the one Jing had chosen out of the closet for her when he had snuck into the castle to case it or to see her. She couldn't decide. It had once been her mother's dress, worn last before her father had been killed in battle. And Stir had worn it for the past three years hoping the thief would come.  
  
A particularly loud burst of laughter caused her to raise her head. She smiled a bit sadly. It was her own fault though that she was alone. She could always find Angostura, the son of the captain of the guard. He would happily dance with her. But...She really wanted to wait. Jing had said in the wardrobe that he had never danced either. Her thoughts strayed to the day he had disappeared.  
  
She had just awakened from her wounds. Her mother said that it had been he who had lifted her to the balcony in a gravity-defying leap. Perhaps he can fly she thought. It wouldn't surprise her. She had looked over from her spot on her bed to see what she thought was Angostura coming through her window. Shocked, she had begun scolding him and throwing things at him. It was a good thing he was wearing a mask, that book might have broken his nose. She chuckled.  
  
Then he had removed his mask and she could hardly believe it. Wasn't he being executed? She didn't have much time to think before he leaned in and kissed her. It seemed an eternity before she could breathe again and then it was too late. He was gone almost immediately to avoid being discovered by her mother.  
  
She sighed looking at her lap. A pair of shoes standing before her, complete with person she noticed as she looked up. She froze. This was Angostura but she had caught a flash of something. An illusion, she assured herself. It couldn't be. This was not Angostura. The eyes were different. Her breath caught.  
  
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting...."  
  
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this; I enjoyed writing it. This is one of my favorite manga that my sister introduced me to. It was a little strange at first, but once I got into it, I loved it. This story assumes Jing is around 19 and Stir is around the same age. My sis and I figure him to be around 16 in the manga and anime. 


	2. epilogue

**Disclaimer:** Let me checkânope; still don't own it.

A/N: I've received requests to continue and even though I had intended for this to be a one-shot, I have decided to write this short follow up. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Also, sorry it took so long to write this, my muse has been elusive.

I can't imagine why she waited for me. I watch her face light up as she looks up at me and realizes who I am. She's beautiful. I can't imagine why she waited to dance with me. Surely she had many offers to dance these three years.

She's looking at me a little concerned. I guess I've been staring at her, so I try to shake myself out of my thoughts and reach out my hand hoping she'll take my offer to help her stand. She smiles shyly at me and takes my hand. Interesting, I never thought she was the shy type. Bold, Brave, but not shy and certainly not delicate.

She looks like a doll in the dress I knew belonged to her mother. So fragile, but not weak. I happened to know she could probably kick my butt if she felt so inclined. I half hoped I would give her reason to be angry with me; it would make it easier to leave her again. We both know I can't stay very long.

I lead her to the dance floor and take her into my arms. She feels like she's meant to be there, not too tall, not too short. Perfect. I lead her in a nice slow waltz. She smiles up at me.

"I'm happy you came back" she trailed off. I know she wanted to ask me where I've been, what I've done. She knows I can't tell her, which is maybe why she doesn't ask. I don't want any of my enemies and rivals deciding that they can question her about things like where I keep the objects I 'collect' from others.

We move gracefully amongst the other dancers who smile at us. Happy that Stir finally joined in the fun. It must have been so awful for her, so hard for her not to get up and join everyone. I wouldn't even have remembered if it hadn't been for the talk in a town I visited. They talked about how Mademoiselle Stir of Zaza waited in her beautifully embroidered gown for a mystery man to dance with her.

I looked into her eyes and savored the feel of her in my arms even if it was only for a moment.

"I'm sorry I kept you waitingâ."

I feel myself smile as realize that it's Jing before me. My heart immediately jumps into my throat and I catch my breath, momentarily unable to breath around my fluttering heart. I can't help feeling a little fear when he hesitates and I almost blush as I realize he's staring at me. He reaches his hand out to me as I sit looking up at him and I smile and take his hand.

He leads me to the dance floor and the other dancers notice and smile. They assume that I have given in and am dancing with Angostura. My pulse speeds with the thrill of knowing that I dance with a thief in their midst.

We dance three dances together; one for every year he made me wait, he said. I meet his beautiful dark eyes as we dance and I can't breathe. I know I can't keep him; that he can't stay because of who and what he is, but I can't help wanting him too. I feel sorrow and joy fill me as we dance. Joy because I love him. Sorrow because we can have no future together.

As we finish our third dance, he takes my hand and leads me out into the gardens.

He starts to speak, but I stop him. "I know," I say. "I know you can't stay, lets just dance once more?" I asked him.

He nods and takes me in his arms, closer this time, holding me close. I realize, he doesn't want to let me go anymore than I want to let him go. As we dance in the garden to the last song of the evening, I lean as close to him as possible as if I'm trying to melt through him and maybe I am.

As I hold on to him, I realize we've stopped moving. I look up at him and I see all the things he can't say in his eyes. They say some things are better left unsaid, and I know that this is one of the times that expression holds true.

I smile at him and he removes his mask, smiles back.

"I can't stay much longer," he says. I nod and start to step away, but he jerks me back and catches me in a lingering kiss.

I am blushing when he releases me. He slowly steps away from me, replaces the mask and disappears into the darkness.

Maybe he'll come back, maybe he won't, but I will remember him for the rest of my days. My first love.

THE END


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